Guiding device for strand-shaped components, such as energy- and/or information-conducting cables of wind turbines

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a guiding device for strand-shaped components, such as energy- and/or information-conducting cables ( 5 ) of wind turbines ( 1, 3 ), consisting of at least one guiding part ( 7 ) for partially holding the components, wherein at least said one guiding part ( 7 ) can be fastened to a tower segment ( 3 ) of the turbine ( 1, 3 ) by means of a fastening apparatus ( 13, 15 ), is characterized in that the fastening apparatus performs the fastening of the associated guiding part ( 7 ) by means of an adhesion apparatus ( 13 ), preferably in a detachable manner.

The invention relates to a guiding device for strand-shaped components, such as energy- and/or information-conducting cables of wind turbines, consisting of at least one guiding part for partially holding the components, wherein at least said one guiding part can be fastened to a tower segment of the system by means of a fastening device.

In order to carry off the energy generated in wind turbines and for other operational purposes, such as control, monitoring and the like, cables which run from the machine house downwards through the tower must be guided in such a way that, during operational movements of the cables, which as a cable bundle hang downwards in the tower from the machine house, no damage or impairment of the cables occurs. Because in the case of conventional wind turbines the machine house with the generator unit, from which the cable bundle hangs downwards starting in the tower, can realize several rotations before the machine house is controlled back, the cable bundle must be guided in such a way that the cables in the cable bundle hanging in the tower can in fact also realize the movement, without formation of a disorganized ball, in which the cables rub against one another in such a way that damage to the insulation can be anticipated.

For this reason it is state of the art, cf. WO 2010/108538 A1, to guide the cables hanging down from the machine house through a series of consecutive guiding parts, which as distance pieces, so-called spacers, guide the cables distanced from one another, with the bottom-most guiding part, also called fixing stars or bottom spacers, being fastened in a non-rotatable manner on a corresponding tower segment.

The fixation of the bottom-most guiding part to be fastened on the corresponding tower segment is difficult to realize in the case of already installed systems. A welded joint as the fastening device is highly undesirable and not admissible for safety reasons because of the risk of corrosion, which in the long run leads to damage to the structural strength of the tower segment. This is also true of a fastening by means of machining encroachment in the tower material.

In light of these problems, the problem addressed by the solution is to provide a guiding device, the fastening device of which permits a reliable connection of the guiding part to be fastened without compromising the tower structure.

According to claim 1, the invention envisages, in order to solve this problem in a guiding device of the type described above, that the fastening device realizes the fastening of the corresponding guiding part, preferably in a redetachable manner, by means of an adhesion device. When using a fastening device which functions without encroachment into the material structure of the tower segment, which works by means of adhesive force which is formed for example by means of devices generating magnetic force, it is possible to realize a fastening which is not damaging to the tower structure.

In a particularly advantageous manner, the adhesion device which is designed redetachable can permit the removal of the guiding part from its operational position. Maintenance work or expansion of the system can thus be realized in a simple and convenient manner when the fastening device is detached. In certain cases it is also conceivable to use as the fastening device which functions by means of adhesive force a pneumatic vacuum device with suction bodies.

In particularly advantageous exemplary embodiments, the adhesive device has at least one magnetic field-generating fastening component, such as a permanent magnet, which cooperates with a magnet-attracting material, such as a steel material, of the assignable tower segment of the system. When permanent magnets are used, the fastening device functions independently, without requiring an activation or an energy supply from the outside. In particular when the steel material of the tower segment has a color protection layer for corrosion protection reasons, the magnetic field-generating fastening component, preferably in the form of a permanent magnet, can be applied and also removed again if necessary, without damaging the protective layer. There is no equivalent of this in the prior art.

The adhesive device can advantageously have at least one compensator device, which permits axial and/or radial compensatory movements of the guiding part in a definable range. This ensures a particularly protective guiding of the cable bundle, and any swinging of the cable bundle is absorbed.

In particularly advantageous exemplary embodiments the adhesive device consists of individual segments extending with an arc-shaped curve, the respective curvature of which follows the curvature of the inner wall of the assignable tower segment of the system. This produces a particularly strong adhesive force.

The arrangement can particularly advantageously be such that each individual segment has a plurality of individual permanent magnets which, by means of a common handle, can be mounted on the tower segment and removed again therefrom. The assembly and disassembly of the guiding device can thus be easily realized.

In an advantageous manner, the compensator device can have a plurality of tension springs, which are linked with their one free end to the handle of the permanent magnet of an individual segment and with their other free end to a common linking bolster, which transfers the common traction force to a linking cord, on which the one assignable guiding part is arranged. The use of a linking cord to transfer the retention force permits a light-weight construction of the guiding device.

Three individual segments arranged relative to one another at a distance measured in the circumferential direction of the tower segment can particularly advantageously support the guiding part in the operational state thereof in the tower segment of the system.

In particularly advantageous exemplary embodiments of the guiding device, in addition to the one guiding part which can be fastened by means of the fastening device, the additional guiding parts are arranged between this guiding part and a pivotable nacelle of the wind turbine, with the additional guiding parts being formed in the manner of cable clamp bodies. These can be formed in a manner known per se, as is depicted for example in FIGS. 1 to 6 in the document DE 10 2010 032 687 A1. The particular advantage of this is that this retention device can be retrofitted in installed systems.

In a manner which is also known per se, cf. WO 2010/108538, on the side facing away from the nacelle below the one guiding part with the redetachable fastening device a loop guide can be arranged in a stationary manner in the tower of the wind turbine for the purpose of cable feeding.

The invention is explained in detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment depicted in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows, in a highly schematically simplified, sketch-like depiction, the inner side of the tower segments adjoining the nacelle (machine house) of a wind turbine with an exemplary embodiments of the guiding device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the guiding part fastened to a tower segment of the exemplary embodiment of the guiding device according to the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a top view, depicted approximately in life size of a practical embodiment, of an individual segment of the fastening device of the exemplary embodiments of the guiding device according to the invention; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 show, in a depiction which is enlarged relative to FIG. 3, a side view or face view of an individual permanent magnet of the individual segment of FIG. 3 with corresponding support.

Of a wind turbine FIG. 1 shows the region adjoining the nacelle 1 (machine house) of the top tower segment 3 with a cable bundle 5 located on the inside and hanging down from the nacelle 1. Said cable bundle is, in the extension from the nacelle 1 up to a bottom-most guiding part 7, a so-called fixing star or bottom spacer, which is fastened in a non-rotatable manner by means of a fastening device on an assigned tower segment 3, guided through a succession of freely rotatable guiding parts 9. These guiding parts 9, just like the fastened guiding part 7, as distance pieces guide, in a manner known per se, the cable bundle 5 in such a way that the individual cables are arranged distanced from one another. For the length compensation, which is required in the case of twisting of the bundle 5 in the rotational movements of the nacelle 1 because the non-rotated bundle 5 is shortened in the case of rotation, the individual cables in the fastened bottom-most guiding part 7 are guided in an axially mobile manner. For this purpose, this guiding part 7 can be designed as is disclosed for such guiding parts in document WO 2014/053230 A1 for example in FIGS. 7 to 10. Below this guiding part 7 for the required length compensation there is a loop guide 11 arranged stationary in the tower in such systems for the purpose of cable feeding, the details of which are not depicted in FIG. 1.

Further details of the fastening device provided in the guiding device according to the invention for anchoring the bottom-most guiding part 7 on the corresponding tower segment 3 are depicted in FIGS. 2 to 5. As FIG. 2 shows, the fastening device has three individual segments 13 which adhere to the inner wall of the tower segment 3 at a distance from one another measured in the circumferential direction of the tower segment 3. Each individual segment 13 is connected to the guiding part 7 by means of a pull cord 15. While FIG. 2 shows an example of the arrangement of the individual segments 13, in which two of the individual segments 13 are arranged relative to one another at an angular distance of 90° and the other individual segment 13 has a greater angular distance relative to them, it shall be understood that all individual segments 13 can be arranged at the same angular distance of 120° relative to one another. FIG. 3 shows one of the individual segments 13 in a separate depiction. As FIG. 3 shows, each segment 13 has ten permanent magnets 17 which, at a small distance from one another are welded in succession with their magnet housing 19 (FIGS. 4 and 5) with a metal band 21. With the band 21, the series of magnets 17 follows the curvature of the inner wall of the tower segment 3. Aligned with each magnet 17, a retention plate 23 is mounted on the band 21 by means of screws 25, and in the central region of the retention plates 23 a retention eyelet 27 is welded thereto. One end of a tension spring 29 is hung in each of the retention eyelets 27. The other end of the tension springs 29 is linked to a linking bolster 31. Said linking bolster has the form of a metal plate in the shape of a small triangle, which extends over the entire series of the tension springs 29. In the central region, the linking bolster 31 forms the linking point 33 for the connection with the corresponding pull cord 15. In this arrangement, the tension springs 29 form, in cooperation with the linking bolster 31, a compensator device, which transfers the retention force acting between the pull cord 15 and the inner wall of the tower segment 3 evenly to each permanent magnet 17. The band 21 projects laterally on both sides of the series of magnets 17 and thus forms a handle which can be grasped to release the segment 13 from the adhering position for a disassembly, in that the magnets 17 are sequentially tipped out of the normal position, in which they lie with strong adhesive force on the tower segment 3.

As the comparison of FIGS. 4 and 5 shows, the magnets 17 have a rectangular block form, in which the long side visible in FIG. 4 has more than double the length of the width of the face side, which is visible in FIGS. 3 and 5. On the band 21 the magnets 17 are arranged at a distance, which is somewhat shorter than the width of the face side. With the flexibility of the compensator device of the individual segments 13 provided by the tension springs 29, the fastening device permits slight axial and/or radial compensatory movements for the bottom-most guiding part 7, although it is held substantially non-rotatable, by means of which movements any transverse forces which may arise in a fitful manner during operation between the bundle 5 and the guiding part 7 are mitigated, so that a particularly protective cable guiding is ensured. 

1. A guiding device for strand-shaped components, such as energy- and/or information-conducting cables (5) of wind turbines (1, 3), consisting of at least one guiding part (7) for partially holding the components, wherein at least said one guiding part (7) can be fastened to a tower segment (3) of the system (1, 3) by means of a fastening device (13, 15), characterized in that the fastening device realizes the fastening of the corresponding guiding part (7), preferably in a redetachable manner, by means of an adhesion device (13).
 2. The guiding device according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesion device (13) designed to be redetachable permits the removal of the guiding part (7) from its operation position.
 3. The guiding device according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesion device (13) has at least one magnetic field-generating fastening component, such as a permanent magnet (17), which cooperates with a magnet-attracting material, such as a steel material, of the assignable tower segment (3) of the system (1, 3).
 4. The guiding device according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesion device (13) has at least one compensator device (29, 31), which permits axial and/or radial compensatory movements of the guiding part (7) in a definable range.
 5. The guiding device according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesion device consists of individual segments (13) extending with an arc-shaped curve, the respective curvature of which follows the curvature of the inner wall of the assignable tower segment (3) of the system (1, 3).
 6. The guiding device according to claim 1, characterized in that each individual segment (13) has a plurality of individual permanent magnets (17) which, by means of a common handle, can be placed on the tower segment (3) and removed again therefrom.
 7. The guiding device according to claim 1, characterized in that the compensator device (29, 31) has a plurality of tension springs (29), which are linked with their one free end to the handle (21) of the permanent magnets of an individual segment (13) and with their other free end to a common linking bolster (31), which transfers the common tensile force to a linking cord (15), on which the one assignable guiding part (7) is arranged.
 8. The guiding device according to claim 1, characterized in that three individual segments (13) arranged relative to one another at a distance measured in the circumferential direction of the tower segment (3) support the guiding part (7) in its operational state in the tower segment (3) of the system (1,3).
 9. The guiding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, in addition to the one guiding part (7) which can be fastened by means of the fastening device (13, 15), the additional guiding parts (9) are arranged between this guiding part (7) and a pivotable nacelle (3) of the wind turbine (1, 3) and in that the additional guiding parts (9) are formed in the manner of cable clamp bodies.
 10. The guiding device according to claim 1, characterized in that on the side facing away from the nacelle (3) below the one guiding part (7) with the redetachable fastening device (13, 15) a loop guide (11) is arranged in a stationary manner in the tower of the wind turbine (1, 3) for the purpose of cable feeding. 